one of my absolute favorites!

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Directed by Tony Bell, "My Bodyguard" is not much of a comedy but rather a drama with a strong focus on bullying. Had never heard of it before but recently found it on a flight and liked it. It features fairly good performances from young leads Chris Makepeace, Matt Dillon, Adam Baldwin, and Joan Cusack . The story is fairly vanilla and plain,though lead Makepeace reminding a bit of a Corey Feldman (maybe 10 years later) with his mouthiness. This movie's locales reminded of Risky Business - an early 80s Chicago and are wonderful and nostalgic. A little more than halfway through the runtime is the best scene in the movie - a short music montage with a rebuilt motorcycle. I am certainly partial to the music of the time. You can view a bit of the innocence and tough-guy acting of kids back in the 70s/80s and some of the tenderness about it. Recommended - a biased and probably overrated 7/10. Catch a young Jennifer Beals in an uncredited role a few years before "Flashdance".

Clifford Peache, a nice teenager, has difficulty in becoming integrated into his new high school, where a bully terrorizes the pupils and extorting money from them.But Clifford refuses to be passive and succeeds in acquiring the services of the pupil the most dreaded by the high school.Both boys are going to learn to know each other and, soon, their union against the moths of the high school will give birth to a beautiful friendly story.Chris Makepeace as Clifford Adam Baldwin as Linderman Matt Dillon as Moody Ruth Gordon as Gramma Martin Mull as Mr. Peache John Houseman as Dobbs Paul Quandt as Carson Craig Richard Nelson as Griffith

At his new school, fifteen-year-old Chris Makepeace is bullied, so he decides to hire the one guy everyone is scared of, Adam Baldwin, as his bodyguard. The business relationship soon develops into a friendship as their limits are severely tested. The film doesn't quite know what to do with the premise. It crams a few too many plot elements into the erratically told story and waivers between serious drama and light-hearted comedy. There is much promise here, but ultimately very little pay-off. Solid performances, especially from Ruth Gordon as Makepeace's grandmother, make for an entertaining film, but it's kind of sad to think what it could have been.

I remember loving this movie when I saw it as a grade school kid growing up. It remains a classic, and to me, is more satisfying with each viewing. Perhaps it's because this may just be the most realistic movie about kids, friendship, and growing up I've ever seen. It's refreshing to know that they can make movies about young kids without portraying them as sex maniacs, criminals, or drug users.My Bodyguard is about a high school student, oddly named Clifford Peache (Chris Makepeace), who is encountering trouble at school. After unwisely insulting a school bully nicknamed "Moody," (played wonderfully by Matt Dillon) he becomes a target. They want him to give them their lunch money, for protection. From who? "From themselves, of course, but that's not what they say.." no, indeed. They tell him they're trying to protect him from a big, tough kid named Ricky Linderman (played by Adam Baldwin in his film debut).Clifford is somewhat small, he doesn't know how to fight, and he's not very intimidating, thus, he can't really defend himself. So, what he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in intelligence and cleverness. He decides that he wants to pay Ricky Linderman "to be my bodyguard." This is where the movie really begins, and makes an excellent turn.Linderman is somewhat of an outcast and a loner at school, presumably because of his size, and some unkind rumors milling about the school. He has a reputation for being a psychopathic menace, but as it turns out, he's just a normal kid who experienced a tragic event. Clifford decides to get back at Moody with Linderman watching his back. Linderman is at first a little hesitant to accept Clifford's attempt at creating their friendship. Then, one day after Clifford is caught following his "bodyguard" home, their wonderful, unlikely friendship begins. The bonding sequence between these two unlikely companions is really satisfying to watch.Not only does Linderman help Cliff, Cliff helps Linderman. Linderman begins to open up, alleviate his shyness, and relate better to people. He begins to understand that there are friends out there, and we all need support. This character transition that Baldwin makes is extremely well-acted and very convincing. Clifford, we later learn, isn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve. Some scenes later in the movie, like Linderman getting pushed around by another tough kid, are a little difficult and painful to watch. The scenes about Cliff's grandmother (played by the wonderfully funny Ruth Gordon) and Martin Mull as his father trying to keep her under control in the bar of the hotel he manages, don't really go with the other scenes, and are almost like a film-within-a-film. That's easily forgiven and forgotten, though, because of the brilliance of the other parts, especially a great fight scene where everything comes together at the end. I haven't seen too many movies where I've liked the ending as much as this one.The most gratifying thing about this movie, is perhaps the lessons that can be learned. I loved the scene where Clifford discusses the rumors about Linderman with one of the teachers, who more or less implies that we should judge people and form our own opinions instead of listening to rumors and gossip. Clifford is wise enough not to listen to the rumors. It's nice to know that people can be friends, despite differences in their backgrounds, economic status, or social circles. It reminded me of a line from On Golden Pond spoken by Katherine Hepburn: "Sometimes you have to look hard at a person, and realize they're doing the best they can." My Bodyguard does exactly that.This is a very suitable film as well as great learning material for any teenager, teacher, or parent. The film is perfectly cast and the performances by the teenagers as well as the adults are fantastic. I liked the performance of Adam Baldwin the best, he starts out looking a little sloppy, scruffy, and primitive, but later goes through a transformation to a well-mannered, polite, affable, approachable young man. He is very convincing playing a kid who is tough, scared, sad, and angry at the same time. To make a treasure and a classic movie like this about teenagers and high school was some kind of miracle, and wonderful.